Why Does the AA App Make Me Go to AA.com to Change Seats??
Feb 10, 2023, 8:57 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium Elite, HH Diamond
Posts: 253
Why Does the AA App Make Me Go to AA.com to Change Seats??
So maybe there is a very simple answer to this question, but I have an international itinerary originating and ending with AA with two segments on BA in the middle. The reservation has been ticketed since 2/1 and is showing as "ticketed" on aa.com, but when I go to the app and try and change seats, it give me pop up asking if I want to go to aa.com. I can change my AA seats, with no issue on the site. The only other time I have seen this is when I have a newly booked trip and it hasn't ticketed yet. I'm worried that some part of the reservation is hanging, but the twitter team tells me all looks good.
One other oddity, I had requested a miles and copay upgrade on one segment and it has cleared (I've picked a seat in business), but on both the app and aa.com, it's still showing the upgrade as "Requested". Are these normal AA IT glitches or should I ask them to dig deeper?
Thanks!
One other oddity, I had requested a miles and copay upgrade on one segment and it has cleared (I've picked a seat in business), but on both the app and aa.com, it's still showing the upgrade as "Requested". Are these normal AA IT glitches or should I ask them to dig deeper?
Thanks!
Feb 10, 2023, 9:06 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,252
Just speculation, as I don't have access to the back end of AA's systems, but I have seen this sort of stuff happen when additional features are bolted on a legacy system.
Feb 10, 2023, 9:13 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,212
FWIW, I had this happen just yesterday on an all AA PNR. All day it allowed me to look at the seat map on the app. Then, all of a sudden, maybe 1-2 hours before departure, it insisted I go to aa.com. It seemed very random.
Feb 10, 2023, 9:21 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,252
While accurate, that's not an exhaustive list of when you get sent to aa.com. There are other edge cases that seem to do it too.
Feb 10, 2023, 10:10 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,273
Correct... it also happens if your connection is flaky and the app has any trouble trying to load the seat map. And it's a very, very short timeout before it punts you over... the app is not patient.
Last edited by javabytes; Feb 10, 2023 at 10:20 am
Feb 10, 2023, 10:11 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: Some/Most/All
Posts: 240
Like the poster above, I have had all-AA, seemingly simple (out-and-back,) fully-ticketed flights that kicked me to .com.
Feb 10, 2023, 10:38 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: DTW
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 514
The only thing I can attribute this to is poor IT infrastructure. It’s frustrating that sometimes I feel like I’m on a low cost carrier given some of these weird inconsistencies. Cmon AA, you’re the biggest airline in the world. Behave like it!
Feb 11, 2023, 6:04 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2022
Posts: 78
I do not trust the AA app for changes or upgrades. I was offered an upgrade through the app, which I accepted and was charged (immediately) for but it was in error. After an hour on the phone with AA they told me that they would refund my money, which they never did and I had to dispute the charge with Citi (eventually it was refunded). The agent also told me never to use the app for upgrades, instead only use the website or do it at the airport. So that's what I will do from now on.
Feb 11, 2023, 6:07 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,252
I do not trust the AA app for changes or upgrades. I was offered an upgrade through the app, which I accepted and was charged (immediately) for but it was in error. After an hour on the phone with AA they told me that they would refund my money, which they never did and I had to dispute the charge with Citi (eventually it was refunded). The agent also told me never to use the app for upgrades, instead only use the website or do it at the airport. So that's what I will do from now on.
Feb 12, 2023, 1:27 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,976
The app will let you change seats in the app only if it's an AA (001) ticket and all the flights are on AA metal. It will also block you if the trip is on hold because it does not (yet) have an AA ticket.